Sorting machine



May 29, 1923. 1,4565% H. M. GLEASON' SORT ING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 31%23.

M. GLEASON SORT ING MACHINE Filed Aug. 10, 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 2 May 29, 1923.

H. M. GLEASON SOBTING MACHINE F iled Aug. 10. 1922 5 sheets-sheet 5 May 29, 1923.

H. M. GLEASQN SOR'I'ING MACHINE Filed Aug- 10 1922 5 Sheets-$heet 4 v w t// 771" I May 29, 3923.

H. M, GLEASON SORTING MACHINE Filed Aug- 10 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 GLEASQN, 61 'WATEEBUEY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNQB' T CHASE COMPANIES 133'? "WALEER-IBWBY, COHEIEETICUT, A GORPDRATION.

QQRITITN lE'HtCHINE.

Application August 10, 19232.

' it known that I, HENRY l d. Ger-A sc rf, I cit zen of the United States, :ccsidinp; 'erhuri], in the county of new lhr en and ste Connecticut, have invented a new useful iimproveiiient in Sorting Mae j ihi ies; and it do hereby declare the follow- 111g, when taken in connection with the aceoisipanying drawings and the characters of I'eterence marked thereon. to he a full clear, and. exact description of the some, and which drawings stitute part of this application and ant, in-

in side elevation of an im-- proved g iiiechzmisui embodying my. inVt QiHL-fi.

"JlQ-W thereof in rear elevation.

:1 plan View tl'icreo'f looking in the 1021 of the arrow li.

FJig. t a detsched're'vcrse plan of one of 1 L l see-plates.

Irom which ore discharged in systematic end presentati n.

251g. 7 a, Sfififilfifilitl. View on the ime 7 7 oi iyliig 8 e broken edge View in elevation, looking at the dial shown in Fig. 6 in the direction of the arroW.C therein portion of the machine-frame being shown in sec tiou;

Fig. 9 at similar but less comprehensive View, showing how the selecting plunger fails to select a pin when the same-is presented coil-end foremost.

li iy invention relates to an improved sorting mechanism primarily designed for sort Ling and sstemotizing safotypins, preparatory to feedingthem into a cording, or other, mechonism, but not so limited, the object being to produce a relatively simple, reliable mechanism constructed with particular rel erence to having a large capacity for Work,

Serial Yin. 580,867.

j'uii-uiiel und tilted from the vertical so that the dials are positioned or inclined to rotate about midway between the vertical and the liorisaontal. The two upper dials sup ported by and rotate upon it cross-her 13 extending between the side-pieces 1 of the machine-frame; the two intermediate dials rest and rotate pon a corresponding crossbar 15, and the two lower dials upon a corresponding cross-bar 16. The said cross-bars 13, i and 1G formed with bosses 17 providing hearings for the said shafts 11 and or" which carries at its lower end a worm wheel 18 respectively meshing into 19 mounted on o transverse shaft 20 d ii n from any convenient source of power,

'ifiuch dial provided with a superimposed dial pocketphitc 29 formed in its periphery with u continuous circle of regu-, li\ll}-SP21CG-tl, lateral] y-opciiing safety-pin receiving-pockets 30, the forward ends of which are shzi 'ied to form pin-reversing hooks 31, while their rear Walls 32 are made straight. 'Lhese pockets are made a trifle longer than the length of the safety-pins, which the nmclzine is designed to sort and systeinstizse.

Each hopper-hose formed in the leftllttlltl side of its lower portion with a clearance t 33 for: the reception of the upper or re 11g ends of two chutes 3% and 35, us cleuri y shown in 3 and 6. The straight up of the upper chute 34;

over. pocket-piste with met one or the some to turn under it, while the enlarged upper end or mouth of the lower chute 35 is arranged below the plane of the upper chute 34, in the plane of the pocket-plate, and therefore in registration'with the pockets 30 therein, as shown in Fig. 8, the bottoms of these pockets being formed by the dial itself.

Each dial is provided with as many lifting or selecting plungers 36 as its pocketplate has pockets, these plungers being positioned to rise through the plate adjacent to the forward ends of its respective pockets. Each of the said plungers is reduced at its upper end to form a transversely arranged, flattened lifting-finger 37, while its projecti'ng lower end is provided with a rounded operatinghad 38, furnished with an abutment-collar 39 supporting the lower end of a helical spring 40, the upper coil of which rests against the under-face of the dial. the said spring exerting a constant effort to maintain the face of the lifting-finger 37 at the upper end of the plunger, flush with the bottom of its pocket, in which position the collar 89 of the plunger rests upon the upper face of the forked end of a bracket 41 secured by screws 42 to the lower face of the dial. The sides of the head 38 of the plunger are flattened to fit into the forked end of the bracket, so as to prevent the plunger from rotating, whereby the lifting-finger of the plunger is maintained. in its transverse relation to the axis of the pocket in which it functions.

For the successive operation of the plungers 56, as the dials revolve. I employ, in conjunction with each'dial, a lifting-cam 43'secured by screws 44 to the respective cross-bars 13, 15 and 16, the cams having slots 45 to provide for their adjustment, and

hence for the timing ofthe mechanism.

These cams are respectively positioned substantially beneath the upper ends of the upper chutes 34ifso as to successively 'lift the plunger 36 for lifting and so selecting so many of the safety-pins 45 as are presented head foremost into position to be entered into the said upper chutes 34, clear of-the pockets 30 containing them, whereby the pins are permitted "to fall by gravity into the upper ends of the chutes, as shown in F ig. 8. In the described action of the plungers, they engage with the lower faces of the sheet-metal clips forming the head-ends of the pins.

-So many of the pins of the mass of pins riding upon the constantly rotating pocket plates of the dials as enter the pockets.30,' 'with their cuil ends foremost, escape the above described selecting action of the plungcrs 36, which idly rise within the side wires or reaches of the pins w hout disturbing the same in their pockets. as clearly shown in Fig. 9. The pins so presented arc. thereforei carried beneath the overlapping,

streams of pins, arranged with their head ends foremost, are thus fed from each dial into the chutes thereof.

In order to prevent the mass of pins upon any dial from banking up around the entrauces to the 'chntes. I preferably employ some sort of a fender in the form of a partition plate 47 secured 'at' its ends to the hopper 22 of the dial.

To avoid breakage in case of jamming, the dials are,l by preference, frictionallycoupled to their shafts by any suitable means, such. for instance,.as by radially splitting the dial-hub to form halves 4S and 49 connected by binding-screws 50, which may be set to secureany desired frictional grip of the dials upon the shafts. The dial pocket-plates 29 are employed to simplify the production of the pockets 30, which might, of. course, be formed directly inthe up er faces of the dials. i While the machine herein shown 15 pro: vided with six dials, this-number maybe increased or decreased-as desired, each dial.. together with its chutes and coacting parts, constituting a unitary mechanism complete in itself. lVhile the mechanismshown and described is adapted for sorting safety-pins, it is apparent that by slight modifications of form, but without change in principle, it may be adapted to sort and systematize a great 'variety of similar articles I claim: w v 1. A sorting mechanism having an inclined revolving dial provided in the periphcry of its upper face with a continuous series of laterally opening pockets, ofa hopper, and two chutes, one of which has its mouth located above the plane of the said pockets andthe other of which has its mouth in the said plane.

.2. A'sorting mechanism having an inclined revolving dial provided in the periphery of its upper face with a continuous; series of laterally opening pockets, of a. hopper, an upper and a lower chute, of which the upper has its mouth located abovethe plane of the said pockets, and of which the lower has its mouth in the said plane, a serics of selecting plungers corresponding in number to the pockets carried by the dial in which they are positioned to enter the for ward ends of the pockets, means for succesw the mouth of Which overlaps the dial, selectrevolving dial provided sively operating the said plungers as they approach the upper chute, and reversing means for coaction with the lower chute.

3. A sorting mechanism having an inclinedrevolving dial, a pocketplate superimposed thereupon and formed in its periphery with a continuous series of laterally opening pockets, a hopper, an upper chute,

5. AI sorting mechanism having an inclin'ed revolvin'g dial provided'in its upper pockets for reversing-, end

face with a continuous series of laterally opening pockets, a hopper,

ing means for the saitlupper chute the mouth of which is positioned ad acent to the etlgeof the dial, and reversing hooks located at the forward ends for end, into the lower chu te, such contents of the pockets as ery of its upperia'ce With a continuousse-r an upper laps the edge of the dial,- a lower chutehav are not discharged "into the upper chute.

6'. A "sorting mechanism clined revolving. dial provided in the periphries of laterally opening pockets, a hopper,

chute the. mouth .of which overing" its mouth co-incident withthe-plane of the said -po'ckets, means for discharging'the -contents-of-the pockets; into the respective chutes-in accordance with their end=for-end presentation thereimdriving. means ior the an upper chute. the mouth of which overlaps the dial, selectchute, a lower of the said having an 111-.

selecting and reversing means dial, and a safety friction-coupling between the dial and such driving means.

7'. A sortin machine havin a luralit h g .7 y

ofinclined dial shafts, a plurality of dials frictionally mounted upon each shaft, a hopper and two chutes for each dial, a series 0 laterally opening pockets formed in the periphery of each the contents of the pocketsand discharging them into the-said chutes in'accorclance with -.thcir end-for-end presentation'in the pockets of the dials.

8. A' sortingmechanism having an inclined dial provided with a continuous .se-.

ries of pockets, of a hopper. two chutes, and means assisted by gravity for selecting the contents o'f-the said pockets and discharging them into the respective chutes, in accordance with their end-for-end presentation in the pockets into which they are fed by grav I it v due to the inclinationof the dial.

9. A sorting, mechanism having an inclined revolving dial provided with a continuous series of pockets, of a hopper. two chutes one of which has its mouth located above the plane of the said pockets. selecting mechanism 'lordclivering certain contents of the pockets into the chute having its mouth above the plane thereof, and selecting and reversing mechanism for the other chute.

10. A sorting mechanism having an inclined dial, ,a pocket-plate superimposed thereupon and formed in its periphery with avcontinuous series ofpockets. a hopper, an

upper chute the mouth of which overlaps the dial, selecting means for the upper chute and for the lower chute.

In testimony whereof. I have signed this specification in the presence ing witnesses. p

- 7 HENRY 3i. GLEXQON Witnesses Marcomr l7. NIc'noLs, Grzonon D. SuYMovu.

dial, and means for selecting of two subscrib- 

